Prove Yourself
by Countess Verona Dracula
Summary: Pippin proves himself worthy of being Merry’s ‘partner in crime’ on Merry’s mother’s birthday. NO SLASH!


Prove Yourself  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.... I'll give em back, promise!  
  
Author's Note: Pip is 8 and Merry is 16 so that puts Frodo at.... somewhere in his 20's  
  
Summary: Pippin proves himself worthy of being Merry's 'partner in crime' on Merry's mother's birthday. NO SLASH!!  
  
Dedication: For one of my best friends; my 'cousin,' and partner-in-crime, Merry.  
  
"Oh there he goes again!" Meriadoc whined desperately as he and Frodo started off towards the Brandywine. Frodo turned around to see a tiny hobbit toddling after them doggedly, carrying his own towel under his arm.  
  
"It's only Peregrin Merry." Frodo said calmly. He was always trying to stop Merry's dislike for his young cousin by entirely ignoring it.  
  
Naturally, that made things worse.  
  
"But Frodo he's so little and he'll just get hurt or get in trouble and either way lands US in trouble Frodo Baggins!" Merry growled.  
  
"It's not like YOU don't get in enough trouble yourself Meriadoc Brandybuck." Frodo shook his head.  
  
"Precisely I don't need someone's help to get in trouble." He grumbled, looking over his shoulder at the fast approaching Peregrin Took. "the Brandywine's dangerous to one so small. He can't come." Merry said tersely.  
  
"Oh Merry you're so callous! We'll watch him and he'll be fine!" Frodo soothed.  
  
"Well I may be 'callous' but you use words to big for any *sensible* hobbit to know!" Merry muttered as he kicked a rock. Frodo grinned, a strange glint in his eye.  
  
"Hey Pippin!" The little one stopped, confused. "Would you like to come swimming with us?" Pippin's eyes lit up and he fervently nodded, running as fast as his little legs would carry him to catch up.  
  
"Hi Frodo! Hi Merry!" He panted, his eyes watching the two older hobbits with obvious adoration.  
  
"How many times have I told you?! You may not call me Merry little one." Merry snapped.  
  
"But if I'm so little it only makes sense to use a little name for you!" Pippin argued innocently. Merry was forced to stop walking and turn around. He bent down so as to be eye-level with the little hobbit.  
  
"What would make a lot of sense would be for you to go back home and be with hobbits your won age."  
  
"But they're all girls!" Pippin whined, crossing his arms.  
  
"Oh just this once be kind to him Merry!" Frodo said, exasperated at last. He wiped the sweat off his brow and continued walking. "Now hurry up before this sweltering heat evaporates the Brandywine!"  
  
"Sweltering? Evaporates?" Merry and Pippin said in accidental unison in the same exact skeptical tone. Shocked, they both looked to each other, and up ahead Frodo quietly smiled.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"WOOHOO!" Frodo threw off his shirt and dived into the Brandywine. Merry was on shore, giving swimming lessons to Pippin at Frodo's request (or demand.)  
  
"He'll be of use to you someday Merry, always remember that." Frodo had seriously admonished after Merry's initial wave of protests. For some strange reason, as Merry watched Pippin ecstatically follow his instructions like a ship following her captain, he found himself believing just that.  
  
"Now make sure you keep kicking and don't let all the air out while you're underwater unless you are close enough to the surface to get more." Merry instructed sternly. Once Pippin was a veritable little duck, the older hobbit drew his shirt over his head and threw it to the side, not looking to see where it landed. He made to jump, but heard Pippin's sharp cry and Frodo's pealing laughter.  
  
"You missed, Merry!" Frodo chortled, much to Merry's confusion. He frowned, but then groaned as he saw his shirt floating out into the center of the river and get caught in a strong current, which threw it against some tall cattails where it became entangled. "I'll get it!" Frodo called, starting off at a strong freestyle. His boldness swiftly waned as he reached the thrusting current. It wrapped a tendril around his ankle and threw him for a violent full-circle turn. Quick-thinking Frodo was fast enough to use his newfound momentum to speed back to shore, where the frightened Merry and Pippin discovered it had been more frightening than harmful.  
  
"The current's strong." Frodo said breathlessly.  
  
"We had guessed as much." Pippin muttered, knowing he would be ignored.  
  
"Let me try." Merry said, pulling his hand out of Pippin's. He frowned at it for a few second; he could not recollect when he had taken it. Merry shook his head and waded in, his body quickly acclimatizing to the conditions of the water as he went under and started a cautious breaststroke towards the captive shirt.  
  
He had thought to dive under it, but saw by the waving plants that the current was just as strong there. As he surfaced he gave up his cautiousness and tried to plow right through it. The halfling was flipped end over end, only to be luckily propelled off a rock and into safety. Promptly Frodo hauled him ashore, his ashen face nothing compared to the impossibly wide eyes and gaping mouth of Pippin; when Merry shook his head it was as much at the younger hobbit as it was to dispel the water that had accumulated in his ears.  
  
"Mum'll kill me. That one was new and I forgot that I had her birthday present in the breast pocket." Merry moaned.  
  
"We'll explain." Frodo said soothingly, putting a comforting hand on Merry's shoulder. Suddenly, Merry had an idea.  
  
"Pippin!" He breathed, and Frodo frowned.  
  
"What about him?" Frodo asked suspiciously as Merry yanked him away from the hobbit in question.  
  
"Look, we can't go under the current and we can't go through it... But Pippin is so small he can probably get over it!" Merry explained.  
  
"Probably?" Frodo cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Definitely." Merry changed quickly.  
  
"I don't like this, but..." Frodo heaved a heavy sigh. Merry grinned and ran over to Pippin.  
  
"Hey Pip," Pippin perked up instantly, his grey eyes aglow with happiness, for usually his idol gruffly ignored him. "If you can go and get my shirt, you'll have proven yourself worthy to spend the day with Frodo and me, but if you don't you have to leave us be for the rest of the day." Merry said. Before he could offer his hand to shake on it Pippin had done a graceful belly-flop and was off swimming eagerly.  
  
Frodo watched with apprehension; Pippin was so small he could easily get hurt if the current caught him by being bashed against the rocks... His apprehension melted mostly away though when he saw the inventive hobbit standing tiptoe on a rock hidden beneath the surface and using a reed as a fishing pole to hook the shirt. Several times he came close but missed, so the Pippin steeled his jaw and leaned out as far as he could go...  
  
Too far.  
  
He slipped and fell dead on into the current, just as Merry's cry of exultation came for he had hooked the shirt. That cry of happiness changed into one of horror as he and Frodo raced across the stones that made a pathway to the other side of the river, reaching out for the hobbit lad. It was Merry who yanked him out and saw his pale face. Merry's face faded to grey in terror as he turned to Frodo.  
  
"He's not breathing! Go get some help!" Merry croaked hoarsely, running to the other side, cradling Pippin.  
  
Merry didn't fight the tears as he tried to get the incoherent hobbit to cough up the water he had swallowed. They came running down his face, cleansing away the frowning lines that creased his face whenever little Pip was around. Finally Merry gave up and cradled Pippin to his chest, sobbing openly as images flashed before his eyes, images of little Pippin helping him in his own small ways as he had done for all eight years of his life. He saw Pippin being the distraction when he was just a toddler while Merry stole food; Pippin helping him get out of trouble as he became older and found that he could charm the mothers for almost anything. So many innumerable images flashed through Merry's head that he cried all the harder. He needed that little hobbit in his arms, he needed him more than he had known, and now he was gone, because he had been wicked enough to tempt him into a task he himself couldn't do. As he crushed Pippin's body to his chest, he heard a loud cough and felt more water trickle down his chest. He dared to look down and open his eyes.  
  
They were met with grey ones.  
  
"Why were you crying, Meriadoc?" Pippin asked innocently. His answer came in the form of another bone-crushing hug as Merry sobbed anew.  
  
"P-p-p-p-p-p-iiiiiiiiiiippp I'm soooooo sorrrrrrryyyyy!" Merry cried against the soft locks of his cousin. They sat there for a long time, just hugging, until Merry finally came to his senses, and then in silence they sat on the riverbank, watching the current run on.  
  
"Why do you hate me so, Merry?" Pippin asked. Merry faced his cousin and put a hand on either shoulder.  
  
"I don't hate you Pippin. I was just being a stupid tween, but I understand now." Merry replied softly.  
  
"All I ever wanted was to be your partner in crime." Pippin said looking down, at which Merry laughed.  
  
"I guess you can, although I've never had one before, I expect it shall be fun." Merry said merrily. (lol) To his utter shock, Pippin stood and began to walk towards the stepping stones sadly. "What's the matter, Pip?" Merry asked, bewildered.  
  
"I wish I could be your partner in crime, but I can't." Pippin mumbled.  
  
"Why not Pip?" Merry asked, concerned, as he came to stand beside the other hobbit.  
  
"I failed. I couldn't get your shirt back and it had auntie's present in it. You said I couldn't be around you and Frodo the rest of the day if I didn't get it, but I shouldn't be around you ever anymore because I only made things WORSE. I lost it Merry. I didn't prove myself." Pippin said tearfully to Merry, who flung his arms around his cousin and held him close. The images flashed through his head again, and he knew that Pippin had always been, would always be, there to help him.  
  
"Oh you Fool of a Took! You've already proven yourself!"  
  
~Fin~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
So how you like? If I get a lot of good reviews then I might do a sequel.... Ciao! 


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